Taco Sauce

This taco sauce is really simple to make. So, next time you are making something that you want taco sauce for and you don't have any-make some.
I don't always have taco sauce on hand. But, I always have canned tomatoes and spices.

You will need a blender. I use a hand held immersion blender.
You will need a small or medium size saucepan.

Ingredients:

1(14.5 to 16oz) can chopped tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 Tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon sugar- optional
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Blend the tomatoes until smooth.
Combine in the saucepan with the rest of the ingredients.
Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
Continue simmer for about 30 minutes or until as thick as you like.

This will make about 1-1/2 cups.
It will keep in the refrigerator for a few days up to a week.

The thicker it is, the hotter it will be. And remember that it will thicken a little upon cooling.
This is not really hot, but it does have some heat to it.
If you want it milder, start off with half the amount of cayenne and taste before adding the rest.

Blueberry Pie

This pie is bursting with blueberries. Great made with fresh or frozen blueberries.

Bakes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit(190 Celsius)
You will need a 9" pie pan

Ingredients:
Pastry for a 9" double crust OR use 2 premade 9" pie crusts
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour( if blueberries are extremely juicy add an additional 1 Tablespoon if you want)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice(optional)
5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

To brush over crust-
milk
sugar

Roll out half of the pastry a little bigger about 11" diameter and fit into pie pan.
Roll out the top crust 12".
In a bowl, mix the sugar, flour, lemon juice, and blueberries. If you have frozen blueberries, let the mixture sit 15-30 minutes before adding to pie pan.
Pour the blueberry mixture into the pie pan.
Lay the top crust over the blueberries and tuck the top crust under the bottom crust and crimp to seal.
Brush a little milk over the top crust. Sprinkle with a little sugar.
With a knife, make slits in the pie crust to allow steam to escape.
Preheat your oven.
Cover the edges with a pie shield OR a foil ring.
Bake for 25 minutes from fresh fruit and 50 minutes for frozen.
Remove shield or foil ring.
Bake for another 20-30 minutes or til top is golden.
Remove to cool on a wire rack.

Serves 6-8.

Enjoy!

If you have leftover pastry make cinnamon pastry roll-ups!

Chocolate Tea Bread

If you are a fan of quick breads and chocolate, you are going to love this bread. It is fantastic!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit(175 Celsius).
Grease and flour a 9"x5" loaf pan.

Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup softened unsalted butter ( if using salted butter, omit the salt)
1-1/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder,baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Set aside.
In another mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar.
Beat in the vanilla extract.
One at a time, beat in the eggs.
Blend in the sour cream.
Gradually mix in the flour mixture.
Scrape the batter into the greased and floured loaf pan.
Bake for 60-70 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when poked into the middle of the bread.
Remove from the oven and let sit for about 15 minutes.
Loosen and remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack.

Makes 1 loaf.

Buttermilk-Blueberry Muffins

These blueberry muffins are a little different from most homemade blueberry muffins. This version not only has buttermilk, but it is sweeter and has vanilla extract. It is more like a blueberry muffin you would buy from a bakery or even the little Hostess muffin bites.
If you don't have buttermilk, pour 1/3 cup vinegar or lemon juice into your liquid measure and fill it up the the 1 cup mark with milk. Let stand 5 minutes before using.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 Celsius).
Grease 12 regular size muffin cups OR line with cupcake liners.

Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup olive oil or other cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 to 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

In a mixing bowl, blend the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
Set aside.
In another bowl, beat the buttermilk, egg, oil, and vanilla extract.
Pour that mixture into the flour mixture.
Carefully fold in.
When it is well moistened, fold in the berries.
Don't overmix or your muffins will get all pointy in the oven and there is the possibility they could be tough. Also, if you use frozen berries and you mix too much, melting starts and you get purplish swirls throughout the muffins.
Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. Each cup will be almost full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they test done when poked with a toothpick.
Let stand for 5 minutes. Remove from pan.

If you have olive oil, I really recommend using it. The muffins are very light.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

One of my favorite parts of growing bell peppers is making stuffed bell peppers. This soup is a great way to get the flavor of stuffed bell peppers in a comforting bowl of soup.

If you happen to grow your own peppers, slice or chop some and freeze for making this soup. They work great!

You will need a Dutch oven or large pan for making soup.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
2 cups chopped and seeded green bell pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1 quart chopped tomatoes( you could use a 29 oz. can if needed)
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1-3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon ground, dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground, dried sage

1-1/3 cups water
2/3 cups white rice

salt and pepper, if needed, to taste

Brown the ground beef in your Dutch oven. Drain off fat, if needed.
Add the onion and peppers. Cook about 5 minutes until the onion is tender.
Add the tomatoes, paste, broth, thyme, and sage.
Cover and simmer until the peppers are tender. Fresh peppers about 30-40 minutes.
Frozen peppers will maybe take about 20 minutes.
In a medium saucepan, add the rice to the water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.
Cover and cook approximately 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat.
Add the rice to the soup and heat through.
Taste and season with salt and pepper if you want.
Serve.
Enjoy!

Tastes great with shredded cheddar cheese sprinkled over the top.

You will get 6 filling bowls of soup.

Cheesy Baked Potato Soup

This is good comfort food. Potatoes, bacon, cheese in soup- what more could you ask for?
It's thick and filling. Just perfect for a cool night.

Ingredients:

4 large potatoes
12 oz. bacon
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1-1/2 cups sour cream
9 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup flour
5 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste

Bake the potatoes. Let them cool, peel and chop them. Set aside.
Add the chopped onion to the potatoes.
Fry the bacon. Drain. Crumble the slices. Set aside, but not with the potatoes.
In a large pan or Dutch oven, melt the butter.
Add the flour and stir well.
Pour in the milk and let it thicken slightly, stirring constantly.
Add the potatoes and onions.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Turn the heat down to low and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in the bacon crumbles.
Stir in the sour cream.
Add the cheddar cheese, a little at a time and stirring until it is melted throughout.
Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Serve and enjoy.

Serves 8.

English Muffins

English muffins are great. Eat them toasted with butter and jam, make mini pizzas, or use them for breakfast sandwiches.
They are pretty easy to make. If you have never used yeast before, go here  for some tips.

This recipe will make 1-2 dozen English muffins. The amount varies due to the size biscuit cutter you use.
Traditionally, they are made with 4" cutters. That will yield 1 dozen. But, most home toaster slots aren't large enough to accommodate them. So, unless you have a toaster oven, you will need to cut them smaller. I just use a regular size biscuit cutter, which is about 2-1/2 ".

You will need an electric skillet or a few skillets to cook them on the stove.
You will need a rolling pin and a biscuit cutter 2-1/2" to 4 " in diameter.

Ingredients:

5-1/4 to 5-3/4 cups flour
2 packages(4-1/2 teaspoons) dry yeast
2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter, shortening, or oil
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt

cornmeal for coating the muffins

In a large bowl, mix the yeast and 2 cups flour.
In a medium saucepan, heat the milk, butter,sugar, and salt to warm.
Add the milk to flour mixture and beat well.
Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Grease the bowl.
Put the dough back into the bowl and turn it over so the top is greased.
Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise for about an hour.
Punch down and let it rest while you get out the cornmeal, rolling pin and  biscuit cutter.
Pour a small amount of cornmeal into a bowl.
Set aside.
Flour your work surface.
Roll the dough out about 1/2 " thick.

Cut out the biscuits.
Coat each side with cornmeal. If the corn meal won't stick, brush the muffins with water.
Lay on pans or counter to rise for about 30 minutes. Cover with towel.

 Get out your electric skillet and preheat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Or put your skillets on the stove and turn heat into low.
Do NOT grease pans!
Add the muffins to your pan. Make sure they are not crowded.
Cook for 25-30 minutes til golden. Turn every five minutes.
Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy.